Collapsible chair or stool



March 6, 1951 M. RAYMOND COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR 0R STOOL Filed Aug. 19, 1947 INVENTOR Mozwiplfaym and,

BY )/4& g 7% ATTORNEY Patent ed Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR R STOOL Morris Raymond, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application August 19, 1947, Serial No. 769,433 2 Claims. (o1. 155 137) This invention is an-improvement in stools or chairs; and more particularly a chair or stool of medium size and portable design consisting of folding and detachable parts to enable it to be collapsed and easily carried about; or conveniently set up and secured in the required positions for use.

An object of the invention is to provide a chair :that is rugged and durable, light in weight, and easy to manipulate.

To this end, the principal supporting members are of tubulariormation and made of some suitable metal, plated or In its preferred embodiment, the chair or stool,

when once set up, can be manipulated with one hand to make an adjustment in the height there- 'of to suit the needs or desire of the immediate occupant.

The nature and advantages of the invention are made clear in the following description; and

the novel features are pointed out in the appended claims. But the disclosure is by Way of example only and changes may be madein structural details without departure from the essential construction in which the invention resides.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the stool or chair in readiness to serve its purpose.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the coupling member uniting the seat post and the legs.

Figure 3 is a View in section on line 33 of Figure 2 Figure 4 presents the chair collapsed for packing and carrying.

Figure 5 shows another design of leg forthe chair;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a modification; and

Figures 7 and 8 show further details.

The chair or support comprises two legs I and a third leg la, and a central post 2 supporting a seat 3. The legs and post are united by a hollow coupling head or member 4, that has a bearing 5 in the middle for the post 2, which can be adjusted up or down, and sockets or bearings 5 rigid with the bearing 5 and disposed ecuidistantly apart on the exterior of the latter. The one leg la is rigidly affixed at its top in one of the sockets 6, as by welding it thereto; and the shape of this leg and its position being such that the plane thereof contains the axes of said socket and the bearing 5. The tops of the other two legs I are secured in the other sockets 6 by screws 1, which hold the legs so that they cannot slip or turn in the sockets 6.

The post 2 and legs are of hollow tubing so as to be strong and light, and the post 2 has a vertical row of openings or notches 8. On the coupling 4 is a horizontal pivot stud 9 with a head 'stud9 is'a'" movable "catch'll, which is engaged 'by a spring I: encircling the stud 9 so that the upper end of the catch is forced to enter one of the apertures 3. The catch holds the post 2, and prevents movement thereof downward in the coupling 4.

To adjust the seat, one need only press with a finger on the lower end of the catch II to force it out of the engaged aperture 8. The post 2 can then be lifted and then turned in the bearing 5 to put the apertures on the post out of line with the catch; it can be raised or lowered in the coupling and then turned to allow the catch to enter another aperture 8 and again support the post 2 and seat 3. The seat can thus be adjusted without difficulty, in practice, from a height of say 14 inches up to 30 inches. After the post 2 is mounted in the coupling 4, a screw I3 is attached to the lower end of the post in the side thereof below the coupling to act as a stop and prevent the post 2 being pulled out of the coupling 4. The upper end of the bearing 5 may have a notch l4 adjacent the catch Ii, togive it clearance.

I Each of the two legs I is adapted to receive a stud !5 at the upper end. This stud may be. a screw with a head thereon, to be attached to the outside of each leg I after the leg hasbeen pushed through its socket B from the lower end of the latter. Each socket 6 for the two legs I has an angular or "bayonet slot l6 extending downward from the upper edge, with the inner extremity of the slot horizontal. When the leg is in the socket with its upper end above the top, the screw or stud I5 is inserted into a hole in the side of the leg; and the latter is then pulled down with the element IS in line with the slot l6 to draw said element into the slot. Next the leg is turned and the element l5 enters the laterally extended part of the slot at the inner end of the same. Then the two legs I are held against longitudinal movement. The lower ends of the sockets for the legs Ia and these legs also, have an opening therein; and when the studs l5 properly engage the inner extremities of the slots IS, the locking elements or screws I are inserted; and thus the legs la are secured against turning, and the studs l5 cannot move into line with the vertical parts of the slots I6. The legs are thus spread out radially and rigidly maintained in supporting positions; and they are now degrees from the leg la and each other.

The seat 3 can be upholstered and of any desired structure and may be equipped with a hinged back, not shown, to be folded down on the'top of the seat when the chair is to be packed. To the bottom of the seat is affixed a metal disk or plate l9, having a central boss 20, with a cir-' cumierential groove 2!. In the upper end of th post 2 is a screw 22 to enter the groove 2| and keep the seat in place on the post 2.

The chair or stool can thus be made ready for :use in a-moment, and it can just as quickly be "collapsed? The'screws I are merely turned'back far enough to release the two legs I which they bind and these two legs are then brought together with the third leg Ia Which is fixed to the coupling 3. The horizontal parts of the slots I6 facilitate this folding movement. The seat is then removed and all themembei's of the article can then be gathered into small compass, as shown in Figure 4, to be put into a bag for carrying or stored away.

The elements I and 22 can have the form of spring-pressed catches, permanently mounted on the two legs and thepost 2, like the catches II, or on the order of these, so that'they do not-have to be detached when the chair is collapsed and folded.

The chair is thus nicely calculated to gain all the objects of the invention. It is an article of utility well adapted for professional workers, in dental parlors, beauty parlors, barbers establishments, artists studios, salesrooms, class rooms in art schools, the bathroom, kitchen or elsewhere in the home, and many other places. It can'also be handily taken along on picnics and outings at the seaside or in the country. When collapsed, it

line with the openings of the legs I therein to receive the fastening elements I. The latter and the screw I3 are wing screws and easy to handle. The screws I need not be removed when the chair or stool is collapsed. They only require to be turned back to release the legs Ia and can remain attached to the sockets 6 and turned back far enough to stay in place and be ready for use again. They are located at the sides of the sockets 5, near the bushing 5, to be out of the way. The upper edge of the bearing can be similarly reinforced by a collar or flange I8. The top of the post 2 can also have a collar, if desired for the wing screw 22.

In the modification of Figure 6, the catcher stop II is inside the stationary leg Ia. The catch is pivoted on a stud or journal pin 9 mounted in the leg Ia and the containing socket 6. Its bent over upper end projects through recesses or notches 14' in thi leg and socket and enga:es

any one of the apertures 8 in the 'post 2. A leaf spring I2 in the leg, affixed to the catch, acts to press the catch into hold position. A button or head 24 on the outside of the socket has a shank 25 extending through a hole in the socket and secured to the catch in the leg 1a. Pressure on the button 25 releases the catch. The latter is thus entirely concealed instead ofbeing exposed as previously described.

Figure 7 shows how the elements I, that are easily lost, can be replaced by catches which remain in place and do not have to be dismounted from the parts carrying them when the chair is collapsed. Each of the legs I and the socket 6 containing it may have registering openings to receive a locking pin I. This pin has a head or flange Ia outside of the socket 6, and to this flange is secured the end of a leaf spring 1b, at tached as by an ordinary screw. The spring lb is so set that it presses and holds the pin 4 1' in the openings of the parts I and 6. The part 1b is so shaped that it can easily be engaged by the finger to withdraw the pin 1' whenever the leg is to be released. Then the pin will be held in only the bushing 6.

Further, to avoid the use of the detachable screw at the lower end of the post 2,'this post may be out as indicated in Figure 8 to form a tongue 2! at the lower end with a small knob or protuberance 2a. The tongue 2i is resilient and to insert this post in the bearing 5, the knob 2a can easily be pressed inward with the fingers. Whenthe knob 2a passes through the lower end of the bushing it will project beyond the outer surface of the post and prevent the postfrom being pulled out of the bearing 5 if this post is lifted. The post can always be removed merely by pressing inward on the knob 2a until this knob clears the lower edge of the bearing 5.

The catch II can have the shape indicated in Figure 3, or as in Figure 6; where a bevelled end 25 is shown. In the latter view, if the post is pulled up, the oath can easily be disengaged even if the button 24 is not pressed inward.

In this description and the drawings the chair is disclosed as having three legs. If des;red, of course four legs can be used, one of the legs being afiixed like the leg Ia, and the others being mounted in the coupling 4, so that they can be folded as shown in Figure 4.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

1. A collapsible support comprising a post carrying a seat at the top, radially extending legs, a coupling member having a central bearing to receive the post and a catch to engage cooperating means on the post and hold the post in adjusted position, sockets for the legs on the exterior of the central bearing, the upper part 'of the legs being received in said sockets, all but one of the legs and sockets having releasable bayonet slot connections, said one leg being rigidly fastened in the socket therefor, so that the legs having such releasable connection can be rotated to supporting positions or folded against said one leg, and retaining elements to hold the other legs in assembled position in said sockets.

2. A collapsible support comprising a postcarrying a seat at the top, radially extending legs, a couplin member having a central bearing to receive the post and a catch to engage cooperating means on the post and hold the post in adjusted position, sockets for the legs on the exterior of the central bearing, the upper part of the legs being received in said sockets, all but one of the leg and sockets having releasable bayonet slot connections, said one leg being rigidly fastened in the socket therefor, so that the legs having such releasable connection can be rotated to supporting positions or folded against said one leg, and retaining elements to hold the other legs in assembled position in said sockets, said catch being inside the said rigidly fastened leg and socket therefor.

MORRIS RAYMOND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 431,803 Cunningham July 8, 1890 614,192 Welles Nov. 15, 1898 1,797,911 Goenen Dec. 20, 1926 

